A Longitudinal Study on L2 Reading Among Japanese University Students

The Effects on Metacognitive Process in Self-Regulated Learning

抄録

The purpose of this paper is to explore the metacognitive process in L2 reading. Seventy-five university students enrolled in a study abroad program participated in this study. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, a longitudinal study was conducted to measure metacognition from multiple perspectives. The study in the Intensive Reading Class investigated the impact on how learners selfmonitor the reading process and control learning. For quantitative data, aquestionnaire about metacognitive reading strategies was conducted in the Spring term and the Fall term, and factor analyses were performed to see the changes in the reading process through SPSS.28.0. As for qualitative data, students’ reflective comments were analyzed using NVivo.12.0. to see how the students self-monitor their reading process. Interviews were carried out with 17 students to see how they coordinated their learning process. The results showed that the students had acquired more effective reading strategies, which led to higher scores on TOEFL iBT at the post-test stage. The study indicates that students who can coordinate both self-monitor and control learning improved significantly their English reading ability. This implies that the metacognitive process in self-regulated learning could be an important factor in L2 reading.